Trader Joe's blog and cooking.
Is there anything more comforting than Mac and Cheese? I didn’t think so until I ate Trader Joe’s Mac and Cheese Bites. How can Mac and Cheese be made better? Clearly, the answer is breading them and frying them. This is another item from the freezer section, but I would keep this to a crowd pleasing appetizer or snack.
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My Blueberry Scones with Lemon Glaze recipe is quick, easy, moist and uses lemon to add another dimension of flavor. This is a perfect breakfast, brunch, or dessert item to share or to freeze for fresh scones in the morning. These are delicious with both fresh blueberries and frozen blueberries. I’ve included lots of ways of adapting this recipe to make it even more delicious.…
Confession time: It’s the second time in two days I’ve been to Trader Joes, forgive me, I went on a Sunday and it seems like food was going out of fashion, especially in the frozen section. I wasn’t actually there for this product. I was actually looking for Trader Joe’s Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Butter and Sage.
I adored it.
But like many things at Trader Joe’s they like to tease you with great items and come back and try something new every time. So, this is my new bag of gnocchi: Trader Joe’s Gnocchi alla Sorrentina. In plain English it’s regular gnocchi with tomato sauce and some cheese….
The pros: Trader Joe’s Cream Cheese Brioche Pastries are new, frozen, and delicious if you appreciate a treat on the sweeter side. These are a solid choice for breakfast or dessert.
The cons: Why do they ever assume you are going to be sharing these? Just be honest with the calories and say how many are in each. For some reason Trader Joe’s decided that each pastry is two servings.
The verdict: …
The pros: Trader Joe’s Speculoos Cookie Butter has a golden cap and a golden seal on the inside to remind you that you have won the golden culinary ticket by picking this up.
The cons: Easy to consume the entire jar.
The verdict: …
The pros: Trader Joe’s Marsala Style Sauce is new to shelves with solid ingredients. In fact, the first two ingredients are marsala cooking wine and mushrooms.
The cons: Depending on how much sauce you like will dictate whether or not this jar will be enough. The wine flavor might be overpowering to some palates.
The verdict: …
The pros: Trader Joe’s Spinach and Kale Bites make for a tasty side, appetizer, or single vegetarian meal.
The cons: Mine were stuck slightly to the paper box.
The verdict: …
The pros: Trader Joe’s Shawarma Chicken Thighs are super flavorful, moist, and tasty chicken thighs.
The cons: The thighs are uneven which leads to over/under cooking. These would be more successful if they were sliced into kabob sized slices.
The verdict: …
The pros: Trader Joe’s Almond Danish Kringle is not actually a Trader Joe’s branded product, but a well done one. It freezes well and this flavor was delicious. It can be ordered online through the company, however buying it at Trader Joe’s is the most cost effective.
The cons: The flavors of the Kringles can be seasonal. Might be too sweet for some.
The verdict: …
The pros: Trader Joe’s Vegan Kale, Cashew and Basil Pesto is excellent pesto that rivals homemade.
The cons: Don’t let pesto’s green appearance fool you, this is not a low calorie sauce.
The verdict: …
The pros: Trader Joe’s Autumnal Harvest Creamy Pasta Sauce is thick, rich, creamy and will have you thinking that it is just a well made cream sauce.
The cons: It’s seasonal. I wished they would change the name and just sell this all year long. Sodium is high, but the flavor is good.
The verdict: …
The pros: Trader Joe’s Key Lime Pie is a really well done pie that can be defrosted and be a crowd pleaser. A really well-balanced pie for something that comes from a box in the freezer.
The cons: While this says six servings, this can comfortably feed four people.
The verdict: …
The pros: Trader Joe’s Organic Frosted Cherry Pomegranate Toaster Pastries is organic, fresh, and fruity.
The cons: There was a serious lack of generosity with the frosting. I still wished they were individually wrapped.
The verdict: …
The pros: Trader Joe’s Mild Pico de Gallo Salsa is perfect for parties or as a healthy snack.
The cons: Can be a bit watery and is very perishable.
The verdict: …
The pros: Trader Joe’s Vanilla Eclairs are a pleasant surprise in the freezer section. They are well priced compared to most local bakeries and were a crowd pleaser in my home. For a dessert this is a reasonable 140 calories per éclair.
The cons: These are best eaten within 24 hours. However, with four in a box this shouldn’t be an issue.
The verdict: …
The pros: Trader Joe’s Pizza Dough is inexpensive, can be frozen and is a good item to keep on hand.
The cons: Watch the shelf life. It’s a fresh item and won’t last forever. This item can be frozen if you are not going to use it right away.
The verdict: …
The pros: Trader Joe’s Pizza Margherita is pizza on demand and ready in about 10 minutes from the freezer. It had a nice crisp crust.
The cons: None really come to mind.
The verdict: …
During the winter holiday season I noticed Trader Joe’s Mini Quiche Duo . As quickly as they appeared in the freezer aisle, they seem to have disappeared like so many other well done products. Sadness about that product aside, I decided to be adventurous and try the much larger Trader Joe’s Broccoli and Cheddar Quiche. It’s closer to being full sized. Good enough for 1 person or two if you have a side that you’ll serve with it.
The pros: Trader Joe’s Broccoli and Cheddar Quiche had a nice flaky crust out of the toaster oven, loaded with broccoli and had a nice cheesy taste.
The cons: While the directions for Trader Joe’s Broccoli and Cheddar Quiche say you can put this in the microwave, I think you might end up sacrificing the quality of the pastry crust here. Nutritional information is a bit of a bummer after knowing it tastes so good.
The verdict: …
The pros: Trader Joe’s Peanut Butter and Oat Bars are tasty. The frosting adds a nice peanut butter sweetness to it.
The cons: If you are looking for a bar with a smooth texture, Trader Joe’s Peanut Butter and Oat Bars isn’t it.
The verdict: …
The pros: Trader Joe’s Handmade White Tortillas are super tasty and very fresh tasting. These are imperfectly shaped which makes them seem a bit more homemade.
The cons: I wish these were available in more sizes and I wish I could find this on a more consistent basis.
The verdict: …
The pros: Trader Joe’s Cultured Salted Butter competes with the rich European butters like Kerrygold. This is very rich with a slight tang from the lactic acid.
The cons: The packaging is an issue if you plan to bake with this. There are no units of measurement other than telling you it’s 8.8 ounces. As table butter it’s hard to serve in the current wrapper. More expensive per pound than regular butter.
The verdict: …
The pros: Trader Joe’s Chocolate Almond Butter Tarte is a nice combination of chocolate from the crust, to the ganache and ribbons. Almond butter is present but it does not feel like you are eating an (almond) Reese’s candy.
The cons: The crisp crust wasn’t very crisp for very long. The box says you should eat the whole in the in 24 hours.
The verdict: …
The pros: Trader Joe’s Dark Chocolate Mint Creams taste like a cross between a Junior Mints and a Peppermint Patty. These are smaller than the seasonal holiday ones.
The cons: If you are a mint chocolate fan these are addicting and in fact I had to purchase this several times in order to write this review. I hope my sacrifice was worth it.
The verdict: …
The pros: Trader Joe’s Coffee Toffee Shortbread Cookies have a coffee taste that isn’t overwhelming, added texture from the toffee and a good amount of chocolate.
The cons: Price. This is a small container of cookies for almost $3 and comes with about a dozen cookies.
The verdict: …
